'Dream Train' Foxtrot played on Seeburg Style KT Special Orchestrion

[xBcvazx]

We need to have more recordings of the KT Special. Very few recordings are available to the public. The few tunes that Paul Eakins recorded are pretty good, available thru Band Organ Music, Chris Carlisle.

We really need some CDs of the KT Special.

or more YouTube vids!

like, 20+

!

[nickn5nl]

@xBcvazx Thanks for the comment! Don't worry, I do have some more recordings ready to be edited and uploaded of this instrument, it's just a case of finding time in between doing my latest organ videos :)

[RCA630TS]

How was he getting miniature sized keyboardless pianos made in the 1980s?

[nickn5nl]

@RCA630TS Hi! It was a one-off production run, made under license from JP Seeburg, and using parts from various manufacturers, including a specially made reproduction iron frame. 60 were made in total by Mechanical Music Center in the 1980s, sold on a first come first served basis.

[KawhackitaRag]

@RCA630TS I can't remember the name of the piano plate casting facility that he used, but he had some restorers measure a vintage 61-note plate (I think) and action and then these measurements were used to make a pattern for the casting company to follow. The back plate is reportedly identical (or nearly identical) to the 61-note piano found in the old K, KT, and KT Special. They are still being made, since D. C. Ramey Piano Co. uses the identical design plate for their new Banjo-Orchestra.

[KawhackitaRag]

@RCA630TS I think that the piano action parts were sourced from Pratt-Read, who made many vintage action parts back in the old days (including entire player actions, at one time). The whippens were probably either custom-made or modified in-house by Mechanical Music Center staff.

I know that one easy way to tell the replicas apart from the originals is to look at the piano action brackets... the old originals have a different shape and design than the newer replicas.

[Pianosyncrazy]

This is still one of my all time favorite KT performances...... Thanks !!!